On December 20, the investigating magistrate in Rome will hold a decisive hearing on the ongoing investigation at the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome regarding the criminal responsibilities of senior officials of the National Arms Export Authority (which depends on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and of the executives of RWM Italia, for selling Weapons of the Saudi-led coalition, causing the death of an entire family, including a pregnant mother and four children, on October 8, 2016, in the village of Deir Al-Hajari in Yemen. The examining magistrate will be able to conduct a trial, conduct further investigations, or file a final file. “It is the first time that we have the opportunity to appear in court in Italy on a matter related to the export of arms and to ascertain responsibility for the deaths of adults and children, in violation of national and international regulations prohibiting the export of weapons to countries at war ”: said Francesco Vignarca, National Coordinator of the Italian Network Peace and Disarmament, which brings together dozens of Catholic and secular organizations working on these issues, today during a press conference in Rome. The request for investigation was submitted in April 2018 by the Italian Peace and Disarmament Network, the European Center for Constitutional Rights (ECCHR) and the Yemeni Organization for Human Rights, in contact with the families of the victims demanding justice. In fact, a fragment of the bomb for the rum industry was found at the site of the attack. “There is evidence that this was not a tragic mistake but a deliberate attack on civilians, and therefore a war crime,” Wijnarka said.
It is the first real opportunity to bring an arms company to trial, said lawyer Francesca Cancellaro, of the Gamberini law firm. Many proceedings have been opened in the past, all concluded with a filing. This case is special because the field research made it possible to link the responsibilities to the results, i.e. the family killed in 2016, and verify that the licenses granted are the result of a very serious violation of national and supranational laws. Therefore, there are strong elements that must be brought to trial. Unfortunately, the prosecutor has not registered the suspects for manslaughter but for abuse of office. This will allow us By giving some form of justice to families anyway.”Laura Duarte Reyes of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights said: “With this legal measure we want to address criminal liability and impunity for the arms industry. Between 2015 and 2019 large quantities of arms were exported by Italian companies to Saudi Arabia, despite UN warnings of the risk of war crimes being committed. General for the International Criminal Court to launch investigations into the criminal responsibilities of companies from Italy, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom over arms sales. In Yemen”. Even Amnesty International, present at the meeting, supports the judicial action against “the evil management of states and companies that cause massive damage and war crimes – Ilaria Masinara, campaign manager – emphasized. It is important for us that they do not get away with it.” The conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels began in 2015 and has claimed 300,000 lives so far, including many civilians. At least 26 airstrikes against civilians have been documented.